Face Value
by impvme
Summary: A conversation that Fusco has mostly with himself that starts with this question to John…..


As usual I don't own anything that has to do with Person of interest except my disappointment over Carter's death which said disappointment was added to by Scarface's unfortunate sacrifice.

This is a one shot that I woke up with in my head this morning. It takes place in the A/U from my other story Count Your Blessings. Because I didn't get a beta this is unbetaed so please forgive my mistakes.

A conversation that Fusco has mostly with himself that starts with this question to John…..

* * *

><p>"Why do you still call her Carter, Wonder boy?" I shoot across my desk at Det. John Riley. He looks up from the file in his hand and nails me with a WTH Fusco look.<p>

I plunge back in. "I'm curious. I mean you guys've been married what, eight nine months now? So why do you still call her Carter?

I smirk at him and half jokingly say, "She does have a first name ya know. Says so right there on your marriage certificate, in case you forgot it."

Instead of answering me John tips a little to his right and reaches in his left pocket to retrieve and answer his burner phone. At the same time he's reaching for his phone the corners of his mouth draw down a little and his brows flatten out a bit as he looks at me and gives me the, 'I don't have time for this Fusco', face.

He answers the burner and I'm watching him now to see if it's Glasses on the other end. Maybe he needs some help on a new case. But when I see the quick small smile flash on John's face and stay in his eyes, I know its Carter.

I know he's worked hard on the face he shows most people, that stoic, cold, not much bothers me, trained assassin face. I'm not sure why but he doesn't' want anyone to see the real John. But I usually know what kinda day I'ma have workin' with him within the first 15 or 20 minutes after John walks in the door. So I'm really glad when, like today, the real John walks in. We actually had some productive conversations about a number of cases just before Carter called.

Mr. Tall dark and Broody isn't too bad when he checks in for a work day. He makes for a boring stake out partner though. Very little talk and I have to drum up most of that as it is. I use to get really tired of sittin' there hearing nothing from his side of the car but one word answers, grunts and mostly nothing. Good thing what your mom tells you about making faces isn't true. Otherwise his scowl face with those drawn down brows and straight line mouth would have frozen on his face a long time ago.

Have to admit though sometimes I love when Mr. Tall, Dark and Stormy comes to work. Funny; I'm not afraid of him anymore. When he shows up most of my day is up in the air and I have to be ready for almost anything. He keeps the day interesting because his actions are just as unpredictable as the emotions that seem to constantly cross his face. The hard, thin line mouth and deep furrows in his brows says he's angry before a word even comes out of his mouth. I used to see Mr. TDS a lot. He was always bustin' my butt about something. Especially before Carter found out we were all on the same side. Its great knowin' he's got my back now though. 'Cause when we have some scum of the earth that we have to go track down and question, that gleam in his eye shows up and says, 'let's go pick a fight', which usually means an interesting if not fun end to my day.

I'm really glad that Mr. Tall, Dark and Deranged hasn't come to work yet. I know he's Carter's watch dog. That guy is scary and I don't really know what to do when he shows up. John's face just seems to smooth out and get really hard and his lips become a very thin straight line. Half the time I can't hear what John's saying any way, what with that whispery voice of his. But when his voice goes all quiet and low, I know Mr. TDD has arrived. The couple of times he made his appearance before John became all legit and stuff, I would usually be called to the scene, help Carter mop up the carnage and do damage control with some inventive and on the fly reports and case work.

John really is Mr. Happy these days. HA. Well as happy as it's gonna' get for John any way. How can he not be? He has the best detective in the squad as his partner and the best looking one if I may say so myself. Mr. Happy came in to work today and is still on the phone with Carter. His brows sweep up towards his hair and his eyes open wide; something Carter said has piqued his interest. It hasn't even been 4 seconds though and he's back to scowling. Carter must have said something he didn't like. Like she's gonna' do something without John that he thinks is dangerous. She can get Mr. Cool Calm and Collected flummoxed in a New York minute.

Flummoxed? I think I been hanging out with Glasses to long. I'm startin' to use his million dollar words!

This is the third time she's called and boy is she givin' it to him today. John's stopped talking and is just listening to Carter. I can see he's frustrated and concerned by the slow close of his eyes, the turn down of the corners of his mouth and the hand he wipes over his face. It's hard for me not to laugh at him as I watch him listening to Carter and the effect she has on him. I don't think he knows it but where she's concerned he wears his heart on his sleeve or rather on his face.

If he found out that I could read him so well he'd probably have Mr. TDD have a talk with me about staying out of his business. He'd really kill me if he knew that I'd sicced Carter on him a couple of times when I thought he was being particularly hard headed and stubborn about something dangerous he wanted to do. When he doesn't listen to reason and wants to do something that is not in the best interest of all concerned parties, I'll text Carter and suggest she talk to him, now.

I know he's Action Man and all that but, that can get you killed. I, for one, ain't ready for that yet, not with my boy still needin' me an all. So about a minute or so after my discreet text to her, John gets a call from Carter. He listens and after a couple of minutes of a usually intense conversation he mellows out, _some_. Besides all the other great stuff about her, great mom, awesome partner, excellent ADA, phenomenal detective and beautiful woman, I can see why John grabbed her up and married her. She holds the reins of his heart in her hand.

And she has him wrapped around her little finger. Their conversation is almost over because he just rolled his eyes, closed them and let out a soft deep sigh. He's exasperated with her. She probably made him promise not to kill anybody today and only shoot them if he absolutely needed too. I can hear her telling him that demand included kneecaps. John's turned away from me and the squad room for some privacy so can't see all of his face.

He says something and then his face mostly relaxes and his body does the same as he keeps listening. But I see the corner of his eyes crinkle and his mouth turn up in a sly smile before he hangs up. I know that look. Carter just told him that she loved him. John turns back to face me and just that quickly the mask is back on, sort of. I can tell by the smirk on his face that he has no intention of answering the question I had asked him before Carter called.

Carter and the Man in the suit. Knowing Carter, I don't really see how it works. But it does. I know that John has no idea that when he's near her, that love struck look is on his face for all the world to see. I'm glad that they finally figured out what the rest of us knew for the last year or so. After what Simmons did – almost did, I'm glad they got the chance to figure it out. They're happy together; well as happy as I think John can be anyway. I'm happy for them, for all three of them really; John, Carter and Taylor.

Boy life really is stranger than fiction.

While John is in the bathroom the Captain came and gave me a new case we've been assigned to work. I'm headed for the door and the car as he's walking back to his desk and call to him so we can get started on the case.

"Come on partner. Capin' wants us to check out a vic they just found in Gramercy Park. It looks pretty bad." John just grunts and grabs his stuff from his desk. Mr. Happy has had his Carter fix for the day so it looks like the rest of the day will go pretty smooth between me and my friend.

Huh…. When did the bane of my existence become my friend?


End file.
